Is a Good DeKalb Transportation Plan Good for Tucker?

Tucker is meeting this weekend at Tucker-Reid H. Cofer Public Library to provide input for the 2014 Dekalb County Transportation Plan. This County plan outlines a vision for DeKalb County to improve the mobility for all people, enhance quality of life, facilitate economic vitality, with a focus on implementation. The plan is county wide and as such focuses on roads that are classified as collectors and feeders.

I assume this means roads like LaVista, Chamblee-Tucker, Lawrenceville Highway, Mountain Industrial, and Hugh Howell. Does this focus on Tucker's larger roads enhance mobility in and around Tucker, or does it make it easier to get in, out and/or through at a cost to cross town movement?

The DeKalb County Transportation Plan has an appropriate mission and vision for the scope of its responsibility and is essential for the future of an economically viable DeKalb County. However, does an effective and efficient plan that meets the needs and goals of a diverse county landscape effectively and efficiently meet the needs of an identifiable historic community?

Even the best DeKalb county plan will require compromise from local communities as the plan must meet the needs of an entire county. Should we work to improve Tucker transportation by input into a single DeKalb County plan, or work to reconcile this plan with a Tucker Transportation Plan that reflects the needs of the local community?  

It's a matter of perspective, priority and knowing what we want before before the discussion begins. It is vital that a unified plan be mutually beneficial to the county and the local community. From a Tucker perspective I think we should seek to enhance economic vitality and preserve Tucker's identity while plugging into the Greater DeKalb an Metro Atlanta Area?

Bringing a community vetted Tucker Transportation Plan to the discussion provides leverage in negotiation as we begin the discussion from a Tucker point of view rather than working backward from a DeKalb plan. For those of you who remember when the Walmart was built, has the widening of roads and increased traffic on feeders and connectors maintained a sense of community and identity? 

A Tucker Transportation Plan would evaluate not only the collectors and feeders, but would also assess in and around traffic, safe pedestrian transportation routes, and use of side streets as alternate routes during high traffic periods. A key concern of the community noted in the Tucker Cityhood Survey was sidewalks, bike paths and street lights. While the survey was not scientific, I think the results reflect common concerns echoed throughout the community.

If you live within one mile of Main Street, do you want to drive to the Tucker Farmers' Market between 4-8 p.m? Luckily, many people brave the traffic, but what would increased traffic do to attendance?

Could a formalized Tucker Transportation Plan work to improve walkability and bikeability within 1-2 miles of Tucker's commerce center, expand walking paths and biking paths to connect Tucker green spaces, relieve traffic congestion that denies access to Tucker business centers, and improve side street networks to enhance Tucker's local in-and-around movement?

I only wish to point out a concern that can only be addressed through a unified community plan so that we can preserve our unique identity, rather than drift into a loose aggregate of communities awaiting a further split as roads widen and traffic increases.

Thank you for reading. What do you think?